Monday, November 28, 2016

"You are responsible for exactly who, what, and where you are in life. That will be just as true this time next year." – Kekich Credo #58

Pick your goals. Create an action plan. Get social support and accountability. Choose a meaningful incentive. Set a deadline. Take action. And BOOM. That’s the path to success.

With that, I did a short upper body workout before heading to the airport.

1A) Ball Rollout 1B) Band Pull

2A) Pushups 2B) DB CSR

3A) 1-Arm KB OH Press 3B) Iron Cross

4A) DB Curl 4B) DB Tri

(Only did 1-2 sets of each.)

Now I'm going to admit something...

I'm not looking forward to going to the airport.

The little petulant child in me is throwing a fit right now.

But, time to man up and go do some work.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip: “You’ve failed many times, although you don’t remember. You fell down the first time you tried to walk. You almost drowned the first time you tried to swim. Don’t worry about failure. My suggestion to you: worry about the chances you miss when you don’t even try.” – Sherman Finesilver

Push on,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT

PS - Be kind!

"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel" – Maya Angelou

Sunday, November 27, 2016

My friend Brad Pilon nailed it with a short message applicable to this time of year. (And all year round, but really right now.)

"Whether food, protein, exercise, clothes or ‘stuff’. Consider that you may not need as much as you’ve been lead to think you do."

Smart guy, that Pilon. He'll be out at our Denver Toys for Tots event next weekend, and it'll be great to catch up with him, Hadsall, Isabel, the BioTrust crew, and dozens of other online superstars.

But until then, I have work to do.

I've already started on my new 21-day Habit Change Challenge.

The goal is to write 1000 words before doing anything else.

I've let myself slide on this for a bit... and I have some big writing goals for 2017, so I'm starting my habit today.

This morning, from 5am to 6:12am, I wrote 1200 words on a little short story for Bedros and his family. It's their Christmas gift. It was fun, too... and was a summary of our trip to Scotland this summer.

After that, it was off to the gym for deadlifting.

1a) Deadlift

1b) Box Jump

2a) BB Split Squat

2b) Overhead Shrug

Tomorrow I'll be writing an ETR article, or perhaps a video script for filming later this week, and then I'm heading to the airport and flying down to Denver for a busy week of meetings, workshops, and seminars.

But for today, I wish it would snow just a little on the farm, but it's foggy and rainy. A bit more English countryside than Canadian Christmas.

Oh well.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:

Don’t be guilt-ed into eating leftover junk. Your body is not a trash compactor. Junk food belongs in the garbage. Only real food goes in your body.

Stay strong and push on,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT

PS - Even if you're not a football fan...

...you should be able to appreciate this.

Jim Harbaugh, coach of the University of Michigan football team, has an unconventional approach. I think he might be on to something here...

"Harbaugh has a policy of having the winners of practice competitions run extra sprints. That came when a friend told him about the Navy captain who uses the same system to train SEALs at Coronado Island "because they've earned the right to get better."

...More work because they earned it. Different mindset from normal. Perhaps a mindset needed by leaders today...

Fortunately, Pillar #5 of Success will rule the world tomorrow, because I have a deadline to deadlift, as the rest of the week is traveling to Denver and my mornings are jampacked with meetings and calls.

Anyways, weird morning because I'm weird. That's what you get, I guess. LOL.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset:

“In the game of life, success, health, wealth, relationships…there are NO EXCUSES. You get exactly what you allow in your life”– Dave Kekich

Friday, November 25, 2016

Jim Harbaugh is the coach of the University of Michigan football team. He's a little eccentric, a lot crazy, but also dominant, like Bill Bilichek (New England Patriots coach). For example...

"Harbaugh has a policy of having the winners of practice competitions run extra sprints. That came when a friend told him about the Navy captain who uses the same system to train SEALs at Coronado Island "because they've earned the right to get better." More work because they earned it. Totally different mindset from normal.

Or just go for a walk and listen to this. It's my first-ever audio (call it a podcast if you want) interview where I talk to a friend about his anxiety.

In this call you’ll hear me and Justin Brooke talk about how he suffered from severe anxiety, got hooked on meds because of the stupid big pharma / medical industrial complex, nearly went to jail and lost his family, but then rebounded with natural cures to overcome anxiety and go on to build a 7-figure digital business.

It’s a really fun back-and-forth bantering conversation where we both share our war wounds from battles against anxiety.

You’ll even get to hear my story about how I realized I could beat anxiety while I was taking a whiz. Yep, this is a raw recording, all right!

Today my mission in life is to help millions of people beat anxiety ... so if you, or a friend, struggles with it, please listen to this audio and share it:

(BTW, both Justin and I both had pre-show anxiety about doing a show about anxiety... that might be the best title ever for a podcast: “The Anxiety Show Where Everyone Has Anxiety About Doing the Anxiety Show” with your anxious host, Craig Ballantyne!)

HaHa. But seriously... we both had anxiety before the show. LOL.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." – Aristotle

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Like many Canadians, I grew up wanting to play in the NHL (National Hockey League). But I realized pretty quickly (at age 10) that wasn’t happening, and eventually I made it my goal of being a Strength & Conditioning Coach in the NHL.

That goal led me to college where I earned a Master’s Degree in Exercise Physiology. And that led to me writing for Men’s Health and then creating Turbulence Training, and the rest is history.

But even though I've been creating workouts for MH since 2000, and my workouts back then were awesome, my training continues to evolve.

I really like Jason Ferruggia's model of doing more assistance work before main lifts, and I played around with that today in the garage gym.

Today's Kick-Butt Mindset Tip: “Identify exactly what it is that you want. This takes a lot of thought. Then don’t let anything stand in your way of getting it.” – Kekich Credo #56 …ID your goals. Write them down. Keep them with you. Review them daily. Make a vision board. Look at it weekly. Create your vision. Know you destination. And never stop moving towards it.

Never stop never stopping,

Craig Ballantyne

PS - Spend 3 minutes writing down what you are grateful for today.

This can include your friends, family, or any random good thing that happened. Always be grateful for what you have.‬

Glad to be back on track with my books - that's where eternal wisdom lies.

And now I'll do less reading online and magazines and newspapers.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:Get up 5 minutes earlier tomorrow & stay out of your email 5 min longer. 10 more minutes seems like so little but you can accomplish so much.

Get up and get on with it,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT

PS - Take personal responsibility for every aspect of your life.

Replace your dependence on others with internal strength. Accept the difficulties and challenges that lie ahead, and you'll have a much greater chance of success. No one else will do the work for you. Set big goals with hard deadlines. Hold yourself accountable. Make the internal changes you need to make in order to become the person you need to become to achieve the goals you want to achieve. And never forget: Success lives and dies with your ability to TAKE ACTION.

Now you might be thinking, "Craig, there's no such thing as an easy diet!"

And I hear you.

That's why Isabel went BEYOND dieting to create her program and share her secrets with you.

Enjoy these 10 tips from her on how to eat for fat loss.

1. There is no one diet that is "the best" or will work for everyone.

Use your own body as your guide and let your results be your indicator of whether or not you're doing what's best for you. Always pay attention to what your body tells you, NOT what somebody else is doing.

2. The best way to measure your fat loss is by using a mirror!

No matter what the scale says, how you look and feel is always more important than numbers. You can reconfirm your progress by taking body measurements and taking pictures, but if you look good…you look good and it doesn't matter what the scale says.

3. Omega 3's are an absolute must for fat loss.

Make salmon, sardines, flaxseeds, walnuts and a high quality Omega 3 supplement a part of your daily meal plans. The difference with and without them is incredible!

4. You must be moving your bowels regularly in order to see your body lose fat.

If you're not, sip on water with lemon and a pinch of cayenne pepper all through the day. You can not eliminate bad fat if your body is holding on to all that sludge in your intestines.

5. You absolutely cannot "out-exercise" bad nutrition.

Your workouts are 20-30% of the fat loss equation and nutrition is 70-80%. If you're exercising regularly and not seeing fat loss results, you must make an adjustment to your nutrition.

6. Cheat days (or an off day) are absolutely essential to the fat loss equation.

Take one day out of the week and eat whatever you like but without gorging yourself. It will not only give you a metabolism boost but it is a great mental break when following a fat loss meal plan.

7. If you are eating wholesome, un-processed foods, you can eat massive quantities all day and still lose fat and get lean.

If your day is filled with natural proteins, fruits, vegetables, raw nuts and healthy oils, you'll never have to count a single calorie ever again.

8. Fat loss is not only about what you eat and how you train but also about the thoughts you have each day.

Stop your pessimistic talk and outlook and start to see things on the bright side and your success will be much faster.

9. Working out is not just about the exercises you do at the gym.

The leanest and most fit people lead active lifestyles…play with their kids, take dogs for a walk, keep busy around the house. How do you spend your day?

10. Finding a support system, group or partner almost doubles the rate at which you will see fat loss results (and maintain them).

Find and establish your own support system (spouse, co-worker, online group) and let them know EXACTLY (be specific) what your goals are.

******************

CB here…

Thanks Isabel! Really appreciate your point of view on how the TT readers can get more results.

"Before getting The Perfect Day Formula I struggled with being available for my husband and children while still accomplishing my most important work responsibilities. I would often end the day in complete frustration and feeling like the day had gotten away from me. The Perfect Day Formula was truly life changing for me. Not only did I get more done, I opened up more time in my schedule for my family. Using this success system made the rest of the day flow much better. I never got to the end of the day feeling like I hadn't accomplished anything. This helped me get more done and make more money. The principles you'll learn in Craig's system are essential for every busy entrepreneur, as well as any busy parent who wants to feel accomplished each day. Craig, I am truly grateful for your work. It has not only changed my life, but the lives of my children as well." - Isabel Price

That's it. Find a good person, tell them your situation, and ask for help... a connection, a resource, or a helping hand. You don't have to suffer in silence. Let the world help you like you help the world.

Saturday, November 19, 2016

1 set of kettlebell swings, 1 set of goblet squats, 1 email. Repeat. Finish with one set of feeding the dog in his blue "brakefast" bowl. Thank goodness that guy in the suit was there to count my reps!

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:Make Rules. List 3 rules that you will live by for the next 30 days. These rules are NOT meant to be broken.

It could be: - I will wake up at _am every day. - I will meditate or pray for ___ minutes first thing each morning. I will drink ___ cups of water each day. - I will exercise ___ minutes per day. - I will call __ people every day. _ I will ___ every day before bed.

Etc.

Create 3 simple rules for 30 Perfect Days. Use your commitment to these 3 rules to grow stronger in all areas of life, discipline, commitment and love.

With that program, you can literally do that circuit anytime, anywhere, without having to rely on a single piece of equipment. After all, that’s the biggest concern of most people these days…they need to workout in a hotel room, or at home, or in a park where they don’t have kettlebells, or dumbbells, etc. So that’s the workout you can use.

Next up is a circuit that you can do in a tiny amount of space in your home. And frankly, you can do it anywhere that you have access to a kettlebell and stability ball, so YES, you can do this one in a park, too.

"Keep these concepts in mind: You've failed many times, although you don't remember. You fell down the first time you tried to walk. You almost drowned the first time you tried to swim. Don't worry about failure. My suggestion to each of you: worry about the chances you miss when you don't even try." – Sherman Finesilver

Push on through failure and struggles,

Craig Ballantyne, CTTPS - Great book. Great stories. Great history. Great message.

"The "self-determination theory" states that human beings need three basic things in order to be content. 1) They need to feel competent at what they do; 2) They need to feel authentic in their lives; 3) And they need to feel connected to others. These values are considered "intrinsic" to human happiness and far outweigh "extrinsic" values such as beauty, money, and status." – Sebastian Junger, Tribe

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:Get up 15 minutes earlier and meditate. If you can't do that, try Holosync. It's done-for-you meditation. And then review: What went wrong this week? And what went right? What did you learn? Remove the wrong to make the right actions easier in all situations.

Friday, November 11, 2016

Today I have my first ever Perfect Life Workshop. It's just 5 people and it's going to WOW them. It's my life's work. My systems are going to 10X their visions, results, and lifestyles.

It's my Perfect Day Kit on Rocket Fuel.

I have never been more excited about a project than I am today.

Woohoo!!!

It's the culmination of a decade of hard work, experiments, stumbles, struggles, and successes...

And it caps off a great week of coaching, masterminding, and big breakthroughs for me.

Last night we celebrated a bit... me, Bedros, and Jay Ferruggia had dinner at Mastro's in Costa Mesa. Tonight we'll hit Morton's with the entire Keuilian family after our event.

Tomorrow I'm hanging out with Jay in Santa Monica. Should be fun.

But today I Got After It in the gym.

1A) Pullups 1B) DB Overhead Press

2A) Row 2B) DB Triceps Ext

3A) Cable Abs 3B) DB Curls

Meathead GAI.

Great times.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip: Everything ends. Good times AND bad. So persevere through the hard times knowing you will get through them soon, and be present and enjoy the good times with as much gratitude as possible before they end too.

Get after it,

Craig Ballantyne

PS - "We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them." – Epictetus

The wisdom of Epictetus has changed my attitude in life. I highly recommend this book. Read one page per day. It's a great manual for living.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Hey, ol' Craiggy and ol' Bally the Dog here, and we have a bunch of great bodyweight exercises & videos you can use to get fit.

Ol' Bally kinda looks like this... and I usually wear shoes. :)

Bodyweight exercises challenge you more than slow, boring cardio. In fact, research shows that just 4-minutes of bodyweight exercises give you the same results as 30 minutes of jogging.

Plus, you can do bodyweight exercises anytime, anywhere, which is really helpful in winter in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, which is where so many TT trainers and clients live!

While there are dozens of body weight exercises to choose from, here's a list of twenty highly effective ones for fat loss.

Upper Body: These exercises will focus mainly on the upper body, but still rely on many supporting muscles so you get more out of it than just a strong upper body.

Standard Push-ups: Not only does it work all of your upper body including your chest, shoulders and triceps, but your core is also working as well to keep your body from sagging. To do a push-up, place your hands on the floor directly under your shoulders. Your feet are either together (more difficult) or set wide (easier) and your back is straight—no sagging hips and no butts sticking up in the air. Slowly bend your elbows, lowering your chest to the floor and then straighten your arms back up. That is considered one rep.

Decline Push-ups: These are tougher than regular push-ups because your feet are elevated on top of a bench, chair or stair. Lower your upper body to the ground and then push through your chest, shoulder and triceps to return to start. Make sure your abdominals are tight and your back stays straight throughout the movement.

Spiderman Push-ups: You may just feel like a superhero after mastering this exercise as it pushes your upper body and abdominal muscles harder than most push-ups out there. Start in standard push-up form and as you lower your chest to the floor, bring your right knee to your right elbow. This should be done in one smooth movement. As you lift your body up, bring your leg back to start. On the next one, switch legs bringing your left knee to your left elbow. Keep your back straight, abs tight and do not rotate your hips.

Shoulder Press Push-up: Here is a push-up that lets your shoulders do all of the work. Elevate your feet on a bench as you would in an elevated push-up, but bring your hands as close to the bench as you can. You will be in an inverted V position. Legs can be bent or straight. Lower your head to the floor and then use your shoulders, chest and triceps to push yourself back up.

Pull-ups: Pull-ups are what sometimes define a person's strength as you are using all of your bodyweight. Grab on to a high bar with an overhand grip (make sure it is sturdy enough to support your weight) and then pull your body up as high as you can and then slowly lower back down.

Inverted Rows: If regular pull-ups are too difficult, inverted rows still give you a great back workout. Grab hold of a bar that is roughly waist height and place your chest under it while extending your arms and having your legs straight out so you are on your heels. Squeeze your abs, upper back and lats to pull your chest up to the bar and then slowly lower yourself back to start. If you want to make it more difficult, use one arm instead of two. To make it less challenging, keep your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.

Lower Body: This is where most of your metabolic muscle is, and that's why lower body moves boost fat loss.

Squat: This is a lower body staple as it is the most basic of all the lower body exercises. With your feet a little more than shoulder width apart, abs tight, glutes squeezed and toes facing front, lower your body to the ground as far as you can while keeping your back straight and not allowing your knees to go beyond your toes. The best way to remember to do this exercise correctly is to push your hips back as if you want your butt to tap the top of a chair behind you. Most importantly, never round or arch your back—always keep it neutral. Push through your glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps to return to your starting position.

Prisoner Squat: This exercise is just like a regular squat but instead of letting your arms hang at your sides, place your hands behind your head. By doing this, you take out some of the momentum that you may find yourself using on a regular squat. You are also adding some weight by placing your hands above your body. Again, keep the same perfect form that you would in a traditional squat.

Hip Extensions: Your hamstrings are one of the most important muscles of your leg. And just because you cannot see them does not mean they should not be worked. Hip extensions are a common and useful exercise for improving hamstring strength. Lie on the floor with your feet flat and knees bent. Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips off the floor. Make sure to not use your hips to lift. Hold the hips up for a second before lowering them back down so they are just above the floor but not touching it. You can make this more difficult by extending one leg up and out while you lift your hips.

Lunges: Lunges are highly effective when done correctly, but most people do them wrong. Watch this video to find out how to use these lower body moves to get back in shape. You'll discover why the Reverse Lunge is the best lunge of all.

Conditioning Exercises: You'll double the results of your fat-burning workouts if you add a few conditioning exercises as part of a workout finisher. For example, a circuit like this can go a long way to helping you overcome a weight loss plateau.

Jumping Jacks: Still an oldie but goody, jumping jacks are great as a warm-up exercise or as part of your fat loss routine. Stand straight with your arms at your sides. Jump your feet out wide while bringing your arms overhead and then return to start. Make sure you are on the balls of your feet when you do jumping jacks.

Burpees: Whether you love them or hate them, burpees will never fail you when it comes to cardiovascular exercise. Start in a standing position and then lower down so your knees are bent and your hands are on the floor. Kick your legs straight out behind you so you are in a standard push-up position and then jump them back in to your chest and then stand up. For a cardiovascular bonus, you can add a jump on the way back up to standing.

Mountain Climbers: This exercise works just about everything—your abs, your upper body, your lower body and your heart. Begin in a standard push-up position with your hands and shoulders lined up. Contract your abs and pull your right knee in towards your chest without letting your butt pop up or sag. Also, do not tap your toes to the floor when you bring your knee in. Return your right leg back to start and then do the same thing with the other leg and keep alternating. The faster you go, the higher your heart rate will get and your abs will feel it too.

Core Exercises: You do not want to lose all the fat and still have a big belly which is why any good fat loss workout incorporates working your abdominal muscles.

Plank: Lie down facing the floor and then come up onto your forearms making sure your elbows and shoulders are lined up, your back and body is straight and you are on your toes. Keep your abs tight and hold this position for as long as you can. For a modification, come down to a kneeling position rather than staying on your toes.

Side Plank: Similar to a plank, but instead of being on both forearms and facing down, you are on one forearm and facing the side. Lift your hips off the floor and hold the contraction in your obliques and abs. Switch sides once you are done. Again, you can modify this by keeping the knee of the bottom leg on the floor.

Knee-up: Here is where your abs will certainly feel the burn. Grab hold of a bar overhead and let your body hang down. Now slowly lift your knees up towards your chest. Make sure to use your abs to bring the knees up and not your hips. Lower your knees back down making sure you maintain a slow pace so your body does not rock back and forth.

Putting it All Together – The best way to make the most out of all of these exercises is to use them in a circuit. Do one upper body exercise, one lower body exercise, one core exercise, and a conditioning exercise with no rest between movements.

Like this:

1) Decline Pushup 2) Prisoner Lunge 3) Mountain Climber 4) Burpee

Do 30 seconds of each movement and repeat the circuit up to 4 times.

WOW! You'll be amazed at what you can do in 8 minutes with bodyweight exercises compared to 45 minutes of cardio.

Do not forget to always make sure you have proper form with every exercise and consider using the modifications if you cannot do them the more advanced way. It is always better to do them correctly in a modified way rather than struggling through an exercise that you are unable to do at all. Not to mention, you run the risk of injury if you perform exercises incorrectly.

BONUS: You can now get my latest bodyweight exercise videos as a FREE gift when you pre-order my new book, The Great Cardio Myth. Pre-Order your copy from any one of these fine retailers.

Order the book from one of the links above, and then send your receipt to Support@EarlyToRise.com to get access to the four free videos today.

BUT this is the ONLY way to get access to these brand new videos. They will not be sold anywhere else. You have to get the book to get the gift. Thanks!

These brand NEW videos will be just like having me take you through a fat-scorching bodyweight workout in person.

Enjoy these amazing exercises,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT Certified Turbulence Trainer

PS - Whew!

That was one of my biggest and best articles yet.

And it sure was more entertaining than talking about the election.

One last thing...

Never forget this important advice...

Change only comes when the consequences of staying the same are too painful.

This explains your choices and the behavior of others.

If you want to change then dig deep and bring your pain to the surface. Find the Meaningful Incentive that will motivate you to fix your behavior, make better decisions, and implement the right actions.

On that note, I also did a Facebook Livestream here about President Donald Trump and YOU.

=> https://www.facebook.com/TheNewEarlyToRise?ref=hl

The bottom line: It doesn't matter who is president because I am the dictator of me...

"I shall shape my future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man's doing but my own. I am the force; I can clear any obstacle before me. Or I can be lost in the maze. My choice. My responsibility. Win or lose; only I hold the key to my destiny." - Og Mandino

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip: Take advantage of the life-changing magic of tidying up the Mental Clutter in your head. Eliminate the clutter & replace with Mental Clarity

Tuesday, November 08, 2016

On the road today, getting in an early session in Ontario, California, before a big day with Bedros Keuilian.

I got in late last night, and because of DST and going back an hour from Colorado, I woke up early.

So it wasn't the best workout in the world today, but I did the best I could in the small hotel gym. And it was busy too, because I think a lot of folks were on EST. One guy was even done his workout at 4:30am when I showed up!

My session was...

1A) DB Reverse Lunge 1B) Cable Face Pull

2A) Cable Pull Through 2B) Punisher Squats

Good enough times.

Now over to Fit Body Boot Camp HQ for a day of strategerizing with my coach, Bedros Keuilian. On Thursday we're doing a 1-Day Mastermind, and on Friday, it's my 1st ever small-group Perfect Day Formula workshop.

I have never been this excited for a seminar, Mastermind, or speech ever.

This is my life's work! So glad I finally found it.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip: "If you understand your big WHY, & you create disciplined habits that serve that why, everything has a way of working out" - @BedrosKeuilian

Back tomorrow with dozens of bodyweight exercises you can do instead of cardio.

Talk soon,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT Certified Turbulence Trainer

PS – Never forget...

Whatever is in your way, you’re stronger than it, you’re tougher than it, and you’re better than it. You’re going to beat it. You must truly believe in yourself. You must end the “I’ll give this a try” mindset, and switch to an, “I’m going to succeed” belief.

Monday, November 07, 2016

Before I went in I was texting back and forth with my good buddy and CTT, J-Roc, who had just hit a great bench press workout of his own back in Toronto. He fired me up with his numbers and so off I went to do this...

Old Man Warm-Up including...

- shoulder mobility work, hip stretches, band pull, WYLIT, pushups

1a) Bench Press

1b) DB Rear Delt Raise

2a) Bodyweight Row

2b) DB Incline Press

3a) Chest-Supported Row

3b) Cable Abs

Great session, and then it was off to Whole Foods where I was recognized by a local personal trainer. After a good chat, I filled my cart with Epic bars, pineapple, spinach, apples, some Zevia (to replace my Coke Zero habit), boxed water, Tom's toothpaste, and some candles. Yes, candles. I like candles in the morning when I write!

Monday's workout was no workout at all, just a walk through the Denver Highlands neighborhood. I actually try to avoid training on Monday's because the gym is busy and I already have enough adrenaline running through me with all the meetings and work to get done. It's good adrenaline, though!

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:

You don't find time to do important things. You MAKE time. Big difference. One is reactive (failure), the other is PRO-active (success!)

Make it a great Monday,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT

PS - On the weekend I watched...

Ant Man

It has a few good laughs from the supporting cast. It's not as good as a Captain America movie (including the one with Ant Man in it), nor was it as good as Deadpool, but still good enough. Evangeline Lilly was smokin!

Sunday, November 06, 2016

Anytime you face defeat, try and end the battle with a victory, no matter how small.

If you've eaten 2 candy bars too many (from your leftover Halloween stash), you can still win if you don't eat a third.

Sure, it's a small win, but it's a victory nonetheless.

Use this as momentum to get back on track ASAP with this 3-step success formula. 1) Create little wins; 2) Remove future temptations; 3) Build stronger rituals

These make life easier and prevent you from making the same mistake again.

Now let's take a look at what the Ballantyne family is doing wrong...

Today, I want to share the 3 diet mistakes I found in my mom's fridge when I visited on the weekend…

Now before I list those, I've got to give credit where credit is due.

My mom has made HUGE improvements in her nutrition and overall healthy lifestyle in the last few years. But there are still some major issues…and you might be making the same mistakes.

Mistake #1 – Too much junk in the house.

Like many shoppers, my mom LOVES a good bargain. So when a case of soda goes on sale, she just has to buy it. Now it doesn't matter that there are already 3 cases of soda in the basement…what matters is that she got a good deal.

Sound familiar? I'm sure you know "someone" in your family who just can't resist a deal on junk food.

But as you know, the #1 diet mistake that we all make – including myself – is having junk in the house in the first place.

Listen, if it's in your house, you're going to eat it. I know it, because if there is any Halloween candy in my mom's house the next time I visit, it will only be a few minutes before I'm cramming mini-snickers down my throat.

Junk in the house = Us eating the junk. Period. (And YES, that includes ME.)

So get it out of the house.

By the way, it is called "junk food" for a reason…because it belongs in the garbage.

Don't feel bad for tossing it…because it doesn't belong in your body.

Mistake #2 – Not stopping sneaky sugar & refined flour attacks

So I went through everything in the fridge and the cupboards, and I found that her tomato sauce and peanut butter had added sugar, AND that her cupboards were loaded with pretzels (my downfall!), white pasta, refined bread, and crackers.

Sugar = increased calories Sugar = makes you want to eat more than you need Sugar = makes you feel tired and hungry even though you should be full

Three strikes and you're out, Mr. Sugar. I don't care how sweet you are, you're no good for anyone who wants to lose belly fat.

Listen, read the labels on the food you buy. If it lists sugar, or any of the crazy sugar variations (like high-fructose corn syrup or even "organic cane juice"), do NOT buy these items.

There's nothing redeeming about processed sausage, hot dogs, and other low-quality meats. Get them out of your house.

You want to have a hot dog at a family BBQ, that's fine. Once or twice a summer…but these foods do not belong in your weekly dinner rotation. Go meatless a few nights per week or cut back on the amount of meat each night and only buy the best meat you can afford.

Now, on the BRIGHT SIDE…

As I mentioned, my mom is doing a lot of things right.

1) She drinks her Green tea (not magical for fat loss, but it's good for her health).

2) She cooks oatmeal from scratch (and adds fruit) or has hard boiled eggs for breakfast every morning.

3) She snacks on an ounce of almonds per day (shown to help with fat loss and improving cholesterol levels).

4) She grows her own vegetables (always has, of course) and so she has farm-fresh vegetables every night at dinner. (Although I'm trying to get her to eat more fruits and vegetables at lunch, and less bread and cheese.)

5) She picks massive amounts of fruit every summer, so in the winter she has bags of strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. Plus, she always has apples and bananas on the counter, and plums, peaches, and melon in-season.

Of course, having all those fruits and vegetables is no good if she doesn't eat them…but like I said, she's eating more and more every time I go home.

In fact, she recently started making her own blender drinks, just like I do here at TT Headquarters.

2) Carry-on only, until you come back from Grandma's with all your gifts.

3) Let someone else go in front of you in line somewhere in the process.

4) No farting on the plane. Or in the bus. Or on the train. Or even after Thanksgiving dinner when you're on the couch.

5) Don't complain about babies making noise... we were all in diapers once too, and most of us are exasperated schlepping ourselves around airports, now imagine if you had a baby and a toddler in tow and you were by yourself. Have some patience, love, and empathy for your fellow travelers.

T'is the season to be the change you want to see in the world.

Alright, PSA over. Let's talk meathead workouts!!!

Today's Deadly Deadlift session was:

1a) Deadlift

1b) Box Jump

2a) BB Split Squat

2b) OH Shrug

Couple of sprints at the end because the legs felt great from a couple of days off.

Glutes will be sore from these split squats.

Tomorrow we BENCH!

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:

Be prepared with two solutions for every obstacle. Plan in advance for what your 'enemies' will throw at you this weekend & this week.

And if things still go south on you...

Look on the bright side of your mistakes. Learn lessons, make changes, and never make that mistake again. Turn the bad into better.

Push on,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT

PS - This matters most...

The fastest way out of fear, anxiety, and worry is to TAG it. Give THANKS, take ACTION, and be GENEROUS. Stop moping and start moving. Embrace what you have, good and bad, and commit to turning the bitter into better. Control what you can (your thoughts, words, and deeds), and concentrate on what counts (the people and experiences in your life).

Friday, November 04, 2016

Off day today from training. I'll go for a walk at the hotel (they have a hiking path) and I'll walk around the airport, later.

Tomorrow we DEADLIFT! Yay!

My new habit of reading for 20-minutes each day is going well. I shake my head at myself for not having done this sooner and more consistently. I've still read 20 books this year, but I've been inconsistent. Next year I'll hit 50+ books again, finally.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:

“Identify exactly what it is that you want. This takes a lot of thought. Then don’t let anything stand in your way of getting it.” – Kekich Credo #56 …

Set your goals. Write them down. Keep them with you. Review them daily. Make a vision board. Look at it weekly. Create your vision. Know you destination. And never stop moving towards it.

Stay strong,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT

PS - This is why I lug myself around the country to tell embarrassing stories about myself...

Thursday, November 03, 2016

Ugh. I did something to my left rear-delt and trap yesterday. It might have been from poor head posture on a set of pullups. Everything is sore and tight, but I did a lot of stretching after yesterday's workout and it wasn't as bad this morning as I was expecting.

I did a lot of stretching and rolling after, and even while on the plane from Denver to San Antonio, and every hour or so.

Today I'll do a yoga session, tomorrow is another "off day", and then I should be alright for a Saturday lift.

I'll be taking a break from pullups for a while.

Ok...here's a cool conversation I had on FB yesterday that I wanted to share with you...

Question: If there one piece of advise you can give to a trainer just like me that will inspire and change his business, what will that be, please?

My Answer: Get up 15 minutes earlier every day and work on your #1 priority. That's what I did EVERY day as a trainer back in 2002... I got up at 4:30am and hustled... figuring out a way to get more clients and share my Turbulence Training programs with the world... and still making it to the gym on time for my first client at 6am!

Then I trained from 6am to 12pm, did my own workout, had lunch, and trained from 3pm to 8pm.

I was FRIED at the end of the day, but I was still in my 20's... so I could handle it for a couple of years...

And then in 2006 I hired a coach and he helped me take Turbulence Training to the world... and well, here we are!

That's just a part of my story.

I'll tell the rest of it at Fitness Business Summit 2017, March 24-27, in San Diego, hosted by my great friend, Bedros Keuilian.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:

Did you do your best last week? Are you prepared to do your best today? Spend time tonight putting together a plan so that you can do your best tomorrow. Control what you can. Concentrate on what counts.

Push on,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT

PS - And a classic from Kekich...

"People will do almost anything to stay in their comfort zones. If you want to accomplish anything, get out of your comfort zone. Strive to increase order and discipline in your life. Discipline usually means doing the opposite of what you feel like doing. The easy roads to discipline are 1) setting deadlines, 2) discovering and doing what you do best and what's important and enjoyable to you and 3) focusing on habits by replacing your bad habits and thought patterns, one-by-one, over time, with good habits and thought patterns." - Kekich Credo #1

Wednesday, November 02, 2016

On Sunday morning I put myself through a punishing workout filming session.

I did four bodyweight conditioning workouts in a row...

...and I have to admit, I felt a little "pukey" for the next hour. Ha!

But I promise, you're going to LOVE these new videos.

These 4 videos are going to be a FREE bonus gift to every TT reader that pre-orders my new book, The Great Cardio Myth. You can order it from Amazon or Barnes and Noble or other places, and then send your receipt to Support@EarlyToRise.com to get access to the videos.

NOTE: The videos will be ready on November 10th. Stay tuned for more details!

1) Researchers have used interval training in all types of populations, such as overweight beginners and even in cardiac rehabilitation (talk to your doctor though first, of course, if you have any medical conditions).

2) Research shows that subjects PREFER interval training over long cardio. So there you go, I'm not the only one who thinks cardio is boring – even subjects who volunteer for research studies would rather do interval training.

3) The most important interval training fat loss research study was performed on overweight beginner level women.

That study found that women who performed interval training on a stationary bike lost more belly fat than woman who did long slow cardio.

Case closed.

Your coach,

Craig Ballantyne, CTT Certified Turbulence Trainer

PS - Here's a great classic quote... It's the #TRUTH!

"I shall shape my future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no man's doing but my own. I am the force; I can clear any obstacle before me. Or I can be lost in the maze. My choice. My responsibility. Win or lose; only I hold the key to my destiny." - Og Mandino